


Strays

by LadyLasa



Category: Free!
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Chef Haru, EMS team Momo and Ai, F/M, Firefighter Tachibana Makoto, M/M, Police Officer Yamazaki Sousuke, Rating May Change, Slow Build, Strangers to Friends to Lovers, catboy Rin, catgirl Gou, firefighter Mikoshiba Seijuurou
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-29
Updated: 2016-02-28
Packaged: 2018-05-23 21:16:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6130333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyLasa/pseuds/LadyLasa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>He knew very well how the world worked, as did Gou. Society didn’t consider them to be people. They were property, pets, and sometimes slaves. </i>
</p>
<p>Rin and Gou spent their life with their mother after they lost their father when they were young. While their father was a hybrid like them, their mother was human, but that didn't matter when it came to society. Once age caught up with her, they were left on their own, their only chance at a decent life a set of documents waiting for a signature. </p>
<p>Finding someone they could trust is difficult, though, but when the abandoned warehouse they'd called home for eight months catches fire, a pair of firefighters offers them a place to stay and to keep them safe. Rin's initial mistrust gradually thaws, and the siblings find more than they were looking for along the way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Strays

**Author's Note:**

> I know I have a bunch of unfinished works that I haven't touched in months, but this idea came to me the other day and wouldn't leave me alone until I wrote it. Comments and thoughts are always welcome.

It had been a long, strenuous eight months, but Rin knew that he couldn’t give up anytime soon. His sister’s safety was far more important than his comfort and wishes, and so he shouldered the burden for the both of them as best as he could, doing everything in his power to make their life bearable. Some days weren’t so bad; he almost smiled every now and then.

Then reality would rush back to him like a sucker punch, chasing away any thoughts of happiness as he ducked through the broken window and put the plywood board back in place. The warehouse had been abandoned for years, and he’d learned during the first week that no one ever came to check on the place. Sure, the winter had sucked, and the heat during the summer had been oppressive, but it was a roof over their heads. Rin would take what he could get.

“I’m back,” he called, his voice echoing through the empty space. Pulling off the wool cap that covered his red hair, he paused to scratch behind one of the feline ears on the top of his head. “I got us some new clothes. Some idiot left them at the laundromat for at least an hour after they were dry. His loss.”

“You were gone for a while,” Gou said, rushing over to him. “I was worried that you’d gotten caught and I’d have to come rescue you.”

“Nah,” he said with a laugh. “You know I’m always careful. I scraped together some loose cash and grabbed us something to eat. I figured we could use a hot meal for once.”

She couldn’t argue with that, and she helped him bring the bags further into the room where they’d set up their living space. Rin had to admire her spirit through all of this. Even when he’d had his rough days, Gou had tried to remain positive, reminding him that this was only temporary. He wished that he could believe it as much as she did.

After the light meal, which the siblings both enjoyed immensely, Gou started sorting through the clothes that her brother had acquired. He had a good eye for sizes, and she was pretty sure that most of the items he’d collected for her would fit almost perfectly.

“One of these days, you should just let me go out and find things,” she said, holding up a floral print skirt. “I can be just as careful as you.”

“Gou, we’ve been through this,” Rin said with a sigh, leaning back on his elbows on a blanket. “I promised Mom that I’d look after you. I can’t just sit here and watch you wander off through Tokyo on your own.”

“What about the paperwork?” she asked as she slowly lowered the skirt, staring at the floor. “We were going to try to meet someone who’d understand us. How are we going to do that if we spend most of our time hiding in a warehouse?”

“We’ll find someone,” he said. “I’ve been saving most of the money I’ve found to get us out of the city. Once we find a small town, we’ll be able to meet people. We can trust anyone around here.”

Gou chose not to press the issue. When her brother wanted to be stubborn, then there would be no way to convince him to see her perspective; she’d just try to catch him in a better mood next time.

Sleep rarely came easily for Rin, but that night, his body decided that the rest was sorely needed, and he drifted off quickly. Dreams and memories of a better life played through his mind, repeating the circumstances that had brought them to this situation, leading up to his final moments with their mother in the small house on the outskirts of the city.

* * *

 

_He didn’t want to leave, not now when his mother’s final moments were upon them. Her eyes were open, staring at him intently, but each breath was more difficult than the last. Tears welled in Rin’s eyes, his hands clasping one of hers._

_“You have to go,” she said. “Take Gou and find somewhere safe. You have the papers. Just find someone you both can trust before you take that step.” A rattling cough interrupted her thoughts, and Rin rushed to help her take a few sips of water. “You know how the world is, Rin. You’ve grown up to be a wise and strong young man. I know you can do this. Now, go before the medics arrive.”_

_Even in her weakened state, he couldn’t argue with her. With a solemn nod, he stood, grabbing his bag as he walked out of the room to collect his sister. Rin paused in the doorway, allowing himself one last look at the woman who had done everything in her power to raise them well, and he whispered a goodbye before finally leaving._

_He knew very well how the world worked, as did Gou. Society didn’t consider them to be people. They were property, pets, and sometimes slaves. Their father had been like them before the accident that had taken his life when they were children, but their mother was completely human. When they were born, the government had issued documents for each of them, listing her as their “owner and guardian”, and she’d kept them locked away until it was time for her life to end._

_The paperwork was tucked away safely in his bag, awaiting a signature of someone who would assume guardianship of the siblings. Their mother had been different, though. They were her children, as human as the ones next door, and the decision was theirs. She refused to put them in a position where they’d have to obey someone for the rest of their lives, and for that Rin was thankful._

_He could hear the sirens growing closer as he took Gou’s hand. They were adults now, but that didn’t mean that they had autonomy. They were on their own, and they’d have to be careful to avoid capture until they could find someone who understood them as people._

_Glancing over his shoulder as the sirens blared, Rin stopped in his tracks. Their childhood home was engulfed in flames, acrid smoke stinging his nose as his eyes widened. He didn’t understand. There hadn’t been anything that could have caused the blaze, but the scent of smoke invaded his senses nonetheless. Gou was calling for him, her voice urgent and full of panic, but he couldn’t tear his eyes away from the sight of his home lighting up the night with an orange glow of fire._

“Wake up!” Gou nearly screamed.

Scarlet eyes snapped open, clouding with confusion as the scent of smoke and burning materials lingered even after he’d been pulled from the dream. Rin sat up quickly, the haze of slumber vanishing at the sight of their shelter burning around them as sirens wailed just beyond the walls. Grabbing his bag and his sister’s hand, he raced towards the window they’d used as an entrance and exit, but a burning support beam rained down with fire and blocked their path.

“There has to be another way out,” Gou said, coughing as the smoke started to fill her lungs.

Panic seized him. There _was_ no other way; they’d made sure of it when they’d first found the place. All of the other doors and windows had been barricaded to prevent anyone from sneaking up on them without warning, and the foresight that had been for their safety had now spelled out a death sentence.

* * *

 

“Are you sure there’s no one in there?” Makoto asked as he jumped out of the fire truck. The building before them was engulfed in flames, spreading dark smoke up into the night sky. “Did anyone do a sweep yet?”

“This place has been abandoned for years,” Seijuurou said. “Unless someone’s been squatting, then I doubt anyone’s in there.”

It wasn’t a good enough answer for Makoto, and although he trusted his colleague and roommate, he had to be sure. Pulling on his helmet, he checked his gear and started forward. Hopefully, Sei was right and the place was empty, but it couldn’t hurt to do a perimeter check first while the rest of the crew hooked up the hose.

Sei caught up quickly. They both knew that even walking around the outside of a burning building was dangerous, and their team had rules about doing so alone. Not only would it help to have someone there if they did find people inside, but if a vital piece of equipment failed, they’d have someone who could help them get back to safety.

They’d reached the back of the warehouse when they first heard the voices, and Makoto quickly radioed in their findings before running towards the nearest window. It was boarded up completely, but between the two of them, they managed to clear away the plywood and two-by-fours blocking their path.

“We’re coming to help!” Makoto yelled through the opening. “Stay close to the floor. Smoke rises, and that’ll keep the worse of it from choking you.”

He still had to keep his personal safety in mind, and he nodded at his partner as he carefully pulled himself through the window. It was a short drop to the floor, but he motioned for Seijuurou to stay outside so that he could help pull the people out of there.

Makoto looked around, his heart racing as adrenaline pumped through him. He caught sight of the two figures huddled close to each other on the floor, the larger of the two helping the smaller keep her head down. As Makoto approached, his eyes widened, meeting the scarlet glare that fixed on him. There wasn’t time to dwell on what he was seeing, and he glanced around as he pushed himself into motion again.

“I’m here to help,” he tried to assure them, but the male positioned himself in front of the other. “You’re going to have to trust me here.” Makoto did his best to keep his voice as nonthreatening as possible, and he grabbed two wool caps that were on the floor between him and the ones he was there to save. “Put these on. Quickly! We’ll figure everything out once we get you out of here.”

Rin wanted to refuse, because he knew damn well what was going to happen to them once they got outside. There had to be a large group of people out there by now, and as soon as they saw him and Gou, they’d be screwed. If they stayed where they were, though, then they wouldn’t live through the night.

When the fireman offered the two hats, Rin stared at them in confusion, not quite understanding the gesture, but Gou darted around him to take them. After pulling one on to cover her ears, she did the same for Rin and grabbed his hand again. They had no choice.

Makoto almost breathed a sigh of relief when the pair approached, and he guided them to the window he’d used where his partner was waiting. Rin shouldered his bag and helped him lift Gou up first, making sure she was safe before he felt strong arms pushing him towards the window. He instinctually tensed, his stomach twisting, but he didn’t resist when another fireman pulled him out before turning around to help the first one.

Coughing, Rin tried to take in a lungful of air, and both firemen were beside them again, holding out oxygen masks for him and Gou. The siblings took them gratefully, breathing a bit easier afterwards, but the movement had shifted Rin’s had just enough for one of his ears to slip out. Immediately, the other fireman, who was kneeling beside Gou, froze, turning his head sharply.

“Sei,” the first one said quickly. “We’ll talk about it later. We need to get them over to the paramedics to make sure they’re alright.”

“No,” Rin said, pulling the mask away. “You didn’t see us. Thanks for getting us out of there, but we’re not dealing with anyone else.”

“Do you have anywhere to stay?” Seijuurou asked, surprised both siblings, along with Makoto. “I’m not an idiot. The only reason you two would be in there would be if you’ve been living here.”

“Rin,” Gou said, staring at him. He knew what she was thinking, and he knew that she was right, but just because these two humans had saved their lives, it didn’t mean that he had to trust them. They were just doing their job, right? “We don’t. My brother and I have been staying here for a while, but if you turn us in, then they’ll take us into custody until someone buys us.”

“And I’m not going to let that happen,” Rin said, standing.

“Who’s running medical tonight?” Sei asked.

“Nitori and your brother,” Makoto said. “I’m sure if we ask, they’ll keep this quiet.”

“Good enough.” Returning his attention to the siblings, he motioned to the side of the building. “Look, you can run off and we won’t tell anyone what we saw, but we already told the rest of our team that we heard you in there. We don’t know how much smoke you two inhaled, and I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t at least try to talk you into getting checked out. Makoto and I will cover for you if you can keep those hats on, and we’ll figure out everything else later.”

“Why?” Rin asked before he could stop himself. “Why would you help us?”

“I took this job so that I could help people,” Makoto said. “There wasn’t a clause in there that said I only wanted to help people unless they looked a little different.”

Rin stared at them for a few moments, indecision holding him in place, but he could feel Gou’s stare burning into him. It was a hell of a risk, but they had a point. Living on their own and just barely scraping by had been difficult, and if they had to start all over again, then he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to stay as strong as he’d tried to be for his little sister.

“We’ll go with you,” Gou said, making the decision for him. “Just don’t make me regret trusting you.”

The firemen led them back around to the street, where the rest of the crew was busy battling the fire, and continued over to the waiting ambulance. Rin watched with growing suspicion as they pulled the young medics aside for a moment, but the four of them returned only a moment later.

“Ai and Momo are going to take good care of you,” Seijuurou assured them. “I also told them that the hospital is a last resort, and only if there’s something really wrong with either of you. They’re going to let us know as soon as they can clear you from the scene.”

“Thank you,” Gou said, managing a small smile.

It didn’t take much longer to bring the fire under control, and soon enough, it was almost completely extinguished. With their job finished, Makoto and Seijuurou stepped away from the rest of the crew, glancing over at the siblings waiting by the ambulance.

“So, what now?” Sei asked. Neither of them planned to turn the pair into the authorities, but the thought of leaving them to fend for themselves again didn’t sit well with him. “Maybe we can put them up in a hotel for a few days until we figure out a better plan?”

“They’re staying with us,” Makoto said. “If they’re okay with that, I mean. I’ll see if Haru can come pick them up so they don’t have to wait at the station for us.”

Sei nodded his agreement, although he wasn’t too sure about keeping a pair of hybrids at their place, especially since they knew next to nothing about the siblings. Still, he trusted Makoto on this one, and they really had no other options. Leaving his roommate to make the call, he approached the ambulance, pulling off his helmet along the way.

“You two doing okay?” he asked, giving them a once-over. The pair said nothing, but Gou nodded. “Mako and I had an idea, but we wanted to make sure you’d be alright with it before we do anything else. Since you don’t have anywhere to stay now, we thought you might want to crash at our place until you can find something on your own.”

“Or until the cops show up there and take us in,” Rin said flatly. “We’ll be fine.”

“The cops are on their way here already,” Seijuurou said. “Standard procedure when something catches fire like this.” He folded his arms over his chest as he met Rin’s gaze. “You don’t have to come with us. I’m leaving that choice up to you two to decide, but having a roof over your head that won’t collapse on you in the middle of the night sounds a hell of a lot better than trying to find another abandoned building or staying out on the streets. Just think about it.”

“They’re cleared on our end,” Momo told him.

“Sounds good,” Seijuurou said before returning his attention to the siblings. “Might want to make a decision soon. The police will be here any minute, and even I can’t talk you out of that one.”

Rin and Gou shared a look. Again, they found themselves in a no-win situation. They could try to make it on their own again, but most of what they’d been accumulating over the past eight months had just gone up in smoke. If they stayed at the scene, then it was almost certain that the cops would lock them up, but their only other option was to trust the two firemen who had just saved their lives. He could tell by Gou’s expression where she stood on the matter.

“Haru’s on his way,” Makoto said as he joined them.

“Well?” Sei prompted.

“I guess we’re going with you,” Rin said. The uncertainty was clear in his voice, but Makoto flashed a wide smile that almost put him at ease before he caught himself. “This better not be some kind of trap.”

“It’s not, I promise,” Makoto said. “Haru was only a couple blocks away, so he can take you to our apartment before the police get here. That way, you won’t have to talk to them.”

Gou returned his smile with equal warmth, daring to hope that their luck was finally changing, and she glanced at her brother. He didn’t seem nearly as optimistic about the turn of events, but maybe that would come in time. She just couldn’t find it in herself to distrust the two firemen after they’d helped them out of the building and then offered them a place to stay.

“Thank you,” she said. “We really appreciate everything you’re doing for us, even if my brother doesn’t show it.”

He shot her a glare, but remained silent. Gou was far too trusting, in his opinion, and if this turned out to be a setup, then he’d never forgive himself for putting her back in harm’s way. It was his job to keep her safe; he didn’t take that lightly.

The blue car pulling up to the curb across the street drew their attention, and Makoto smiled again when his best friend stepped out of the driver’s seat. Rin watched the stranger, suspicion evident on his features, and he pulled Gou just a little bit closer. Blue eyes regarded him coolly, but the man’s expression gave away none of his thoughts. A baseball cap covered his hair, but the intensity in his gaze was enough for Rin to question the decision to trust these people.

There was no time for proper introductions, and the sound of police sirens started to echo in the night, drawing closer by the second. With one last moment of hesitation, Rin started towards the car, keeping a protective arm around his sister. As he was about to slide into the back seat next to her, he felt a hand on his arm.

“I’m not a taxi,” Haru said.

It took a few seconds for Rin to understand his meaning, but scarlet eyes narrowed slightly as he closed the door and walked around to the passenger side. Ordinarily, he would have let Gou ride up front, but he didn’t know this guy, and he wasn’t about to put his little sister in close proximity with him.

Thankfully, the ride to the apartment building was quiet. Haru said practically nothing, his attention focused on the road until they reached their destination. His silence remained as he led them up the stairs to Makoto and Sei’s apartment, quietly unlocking the door before stepping inside and slipping out of his shoes.

Rin and Gou followed suit, pausing just inside the door to take a look at the place. It had been a long time since either of them had been in a proper residence, and the place was spacious enough to accommodate even a pair of guests.

“The bathroom is down the hall if either of you want a shower,” Haru said. “I’ll make something to eat. Makoto won’t be home until morning, but I can show you where you can sleep before I leave.”

It was the most they’d heard him say since they’d met him, and the siblings just stared at him for a few minutes. A shower, a fresh meal, and a warm place to sleep? It was almost too good to believe, and while Gou smiled brightly, Rin’s uncertainty returned tenfold. He took stock of himself, noting the soot and grime that covered his skin and clothes, but Gou was in a similar state.

“You can go first,” Rin said, motioning to the hallway. “I’ll shower once you’re done.”

As soon as she disappeared into the bathroom, Rin’s gaze settled on Haru. The smoke had restricted his sense of smell – he hoped it would only be temporary – but hopefully, he could get some answers while his sister was in the shower.

“I have some questions,” he said.

Haru turned his head to regard him, his expression still unreadable, and Rin took that as a sign that he was listening at least. A dozen different thoughts raced through his mind, but one was more prominent than the others.

“Are you sure that we’re safe here?”

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on tumblr - [ ladylasa ](http://ladylasa.tumblr.com)


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